New large wide-body freighter aircraft have the capability of carrying a variety of containers in the cargo bay. Due to the size and number of the containers in these freighter aircraft there may be a substantial number of latches to restrain the cargo containers. Prior art latches usually require some hand operation or upward movement of either latching or release mechanisms, thus requiring stooping or bending of the operator (load master).
Some of the containers vary in length, for example the ASA 832, which may be ten or twenty feet in length. Many of these variable sized containers can only be restrained on the two sides. Some cargo aircraft use guide rails as means to provide lateral restraint of the cargo containers. Prior art latch restraints usually rotated into engagement with the containers thereby limiting their usefulness. Due to the configuration of new containers it is desirable that the latch pawl (tongue) have a lineal engaging motion, as opposed to a rotary motion available on prior art latches shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,345.
For simplicity and to take advantage of the lateral restraint provided by the guide rail, it is desirable that a latch be of configuration such that it maybe mounted on the guide rail to provide intimate contact with the cargo container.